DMs:ever have player get mad at you for their dumb decision

[Gundark]

My group of 11 level pc where fighting an orge mage and an earth elemnetal as a final boss. The players had what they came for (it was a rescue) and where just going to run. The cleric in the group decided to attack the elemental ad orge mage. First he took some attacks of opportunity getting in there because of reach. then when the elementals initative order came around beat the living crap out of this cleric( also got a critical hit). The nthe orge mage went before him and hit him as well. This cleric who had full HP was soon near deathand decided to run. Well the elemental with the reach hit him with an aoo. puttting the clericnear death. The player of the cleric got upset at me I think for it. he remainded clam but you could tell he didn't like it and I think he thought the encounter was too tough. I think he got what he deserved and should realized that he wasn't invulnerable. What do peopel think? Have you had experiences like this?

 

[Wee Jas]

remainded clam

Maybe he had a pearl in his mouth! (gah.. I couldn't think of anything good but wanted to be the first to point out he wrote CLAM)

You didn't force the cleric to charge. Tell him to make up a fighter if he want to play that way.

 

[kkoie]

I think you did fine. If the player in question ever vocally complains, you should tell him that not all encounters are winning encounters. Sometimes (albe it not often) they will get encounters where they will have limited options, the most obvious being turning tail and running.

The only time it gets dangerous for the DM, when applying an encounter like this, is when the opposition are not obviously out of the players league. If it isn't obviously apparent they will get their butts kicked, players sometimes will decide to fight thinking 'hey this may be hard, but I think we can handle this.' But even then, that would still be part of the players learning process in realizing that they should never assume anything. It gets a bit dangerous if/when that happens too often.

 

[Conaill]

Just one quibble: You said he took "some" attacks of opportunity getting in there. Does that mean he got an AoO from both? If these were not simultaneous, did you allow him to change tactic after the first AoO? Or was it just "I want to move up to there." "Ok, both the elemental and the ogre mage get an AoO on you first."

 

[Kyramus]

My group almost had a tpk.
Their decisions were to run, but their actions were attack.
Afterwards there was much emotional grief but in the end, it wasn't me that shanghaied them into the fight, they did that all by themselves.

So don't worry about it. It's their own fault for making their own mistakes. We just have to judge fairly on what outcmoe happens.

 

[Chronosome]

To me, 3rd Edition is a game of Tactics. If someone charges in to a situation they're not prepared to handle (regardless of whether they no it or not), there's a chance for rotten consequences.

BUT (and there's always a but)...I believe it's a DM job to give players a bit of a "hint" of the power of their enemies. Whether it be trees bursting into flame around a rhemoraz (as a hint of that nasty 10d10 fire damage for touching it) or two rogues finishing each others' sentences (a very subtle hint at cooperation).

A girallon I was running tore of a 4th-level fighter's arms and legs (I believe Kip the Bold has a picture of that gruesome moment) because he charged into its reach...

BUT he was new to the game and hadn't learned about full-attacks yet. I gave him a break, and a free resurrect a la a greater unicorn, a deus ex machina who just happened to be chillin' nearby. The unicorn saw the fight, and gave the elf some tips for the next one... Story and rules come togther.

Worked for us, anyway...now, get out there and kill some PCs!

 

[Kyramus]

In my case, I explained that a whole part of giants is torn to bits.

The encounter was with a Brachusaur (not sure of spelling but it's that big bad wolf) from the Epic level handbook. It was designed to be a parlay encounter, not a combat encounter. Oh well.

 

[jasper]

I just ate Tickleberry's brain. I ask twice did she want to attack with Mr. Fred the mind flayer having all 4 tentacles on her head.
A swing later Mr. Fred was having hobbit brain in the hallway for a small late night snack.

Guys and gals need to understand The Dm does not have to have a sign appear over the Kindergarden Conan Terminator's head saying "too powerful run away".

Kill them all! Raises are generally cheap.

 

[ced1106]

EQ RPG had the Knowledge (Monster Lore: creature type) skill. Hope it makes the PHB Revision.

Kill them all and let zombies eat the rest. (;


Cedric.
aka. Washu! ^O^

 

[Kaji]

My players get torced at me all the time, but that's 'cause they play like hamstrung midgets in pyjamas. These folks have been playing D&D for like 20 years, and they constantly do insane things. The motto is almost always "Kill Everything" and "Charge". The second a sane voice pops up you hear cries of "Pansy!" and "Coward!". They're nuts, I tell you. I kill them ALL THE TIME, and I'm not really that kind of DM, I just can't think of how they'll avoid the most recent insanity. "Example?", you say?

Party of 7th level characters is sent by local church boss to the mountains to look for Frost Giants 'cause he thinks they're up to no good. I warn party in advance via metagaming that Frost Giants are very tough, and that I anticipate a lot of run and retreat. I figure they can take 1 or 2 and then have to pull back. Sure enough, they kill 2 and it goes pretty well, but they've used up a lot of their good spells to make it happen. So, rather than withdraw, they surge forward. Meet like 3 more giants in one room. It's time to withdraw. And someone in the party is saying, "Let's withdraw" and someone agrees, and the next thing you know they've all rushed into the room and are fighting Frost Giants. Who sound the alarm. Which brings more Frost Giants. Who then kill (-40 hp, I believe) a monk and a Paladin before the rest of the party is grabbing a thumb from each and running off. Just nuts...